Water
quality and conservation management of
Ramsagar
reservoir, Datia, Madhya
Pradesh
R.K. Garg*1,
R.J. Rao2 and D.N. Saksena2
1Centre
of Excellence in Biotechnology, M.P. Council of Science and Technology (MPCST),
Vigyan Bhawan,
Nehru Nagar, Bhopal
- 462 003, India
2School of Studies in
Zoology, Jiwaji University,
Gwalior - 474 011, India
(Received:
June 04, 2008;
Revised received: July
25, 2008; Accepted: September 25, 2008)
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Abstract: The aim of
this study is to assess physico-chemical characteristics, trophic
status, pollution studies and macrophytic community of Ramsagar reservoir from
April 2003 to March 2005. The range of various parameters of reservoir water
(water temperature 15.92-31.87 oC, water depth 2.90-8.25 m,
transparency 66.59-116.00 cm, electrical conductivity 108-246.30 µS cm-1,
turbidity 2.17-16.72 NTU, total dissolved solids 166.37-239.00 mg l-1,
pH 7.41-8.95, dissolved oxygen 6.78-11.59 mg l-1, free carbon
dioxide nil-6.32 mg l-1, total alkalinity 64.25-146.25 mg l-1,
total hardness 34.00-75.25 mg l-1, chlorides 13.13-22.36 mg l-1,
calcium 11.21-33.81 mg l-1, sulphates 1.50-8.87 mg l-1,
nitrates 0.011-0.033 mg l-1, nitrites 0.004-0.029 mg l-1,
phosphates 0.013-0.054 mg l-1, silicates 0.65-8.42 mg l-1,
ammonia nil-0.84 mg l-1, biochemical oxygen demand 0.93-4.68 mg l-1,
chemical oxygen demand 3.60-17.40 mg l-1, magnesium 1.17-5.60 mg l-1,
sodium 16.75-34.30 mg l-1 and potassium 1.97-4.86 mg l-1)
exhibit monthly as well as seasonal fluctuations. The nutrients including
silicates, sulphates, phosphates, nitrates and potassium are in sufficient
quantities for the growth of aquatic plants and animals in the reservoir. In
all 13 species of macrophytes were recorded from the reservoir. Macrophytic
diversity was higher at the points where nallahas join the reservoir and in the
areas where agricultural practices are performed. This was due to allocthonous
nutrients brought in to the reservoir from the surrounding catchments area. The
above study indicated that the Ramsagar reservoir is under the category of
mesotrophic water body slightly inclined towards eutrophication. Therefore, the
conservation and management of this water body are very much required.
Key words: Water quality, Correlation coefficient, Trophic
status, Macrophytes, Reservoir management
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